Green looks to third term, cites major progress in constituency

St Elizabeth South Western Member of Parliament (MP) Floyd Green says he is confident of securing a third term in office, pointing to significant strides made in tackling longstanding issues within the constituency.

With the next general election expected later this year, Green, who also serves as minister of agriculture, fisheries and mining, is set to face off against Miranda Wellington of the People’s National Party (PNP).

Speaking with The Sunday Gleaner, Green said his team has made notable “inroads” in addressing core challenges across the rural constituency on Jamaica’s south coast, including infrastructural upgrades, improvements to the Black River Hospital, and expanded educational opportunities.

“Things like taking Black River High off the shift system, something that has been promised for decades. Things like new pipelines from Hounslow to Barbary Hall. Fort Charles, which never had water any at all, I’m doing a new pipeline, changing the Black River pipeline,” Green said. “The road improvement in every part of the constituency, and not just main roads but community roads, I think those things are important.”

Despite this progress, Green acknowledged that some issues remain unresolved, including the long-awaited Pedro Plains Irrigation Scheme – an ambitious US$200-million project aimed at delivering water to Flagaman farmers, first discussed in the 1970s.

He said while there may still be some level of frustration because of the length of time it is taking, work is under way with the feasibility study and the preliminary designs.

respect and engaged

Green said the Government intends to break ground for this project later this year.

Green said he has led with respect and engaged constituents at all levels, making himself accessible.

“I think that [with] the work that we’ve done, a third term should be secured, but also on the plans that we have to continue that work. So, it’s not that we’re just sitting on what has happened before, but we still have some things to get done.

“I think by how I have led in the seat, across the seat consistently, I think those things should inspire confidence that the things that we plan to do, we’ll get them don,e and based on the credibility of the work done before. I think when all those things are put together, then definitely, a third term should be [given],” he said.

Green created history pulling out the highest number of votes for a candidate in the constituency in 2016 when he polled 10,152 votes to unseat incumbent MP and PNP candidate Hugh Buchanan, who secured 8,095 ballots.

Later in 2020, he defeated the PNP’s Ewan Stephenson 9,189 to 7,099 in a COVID-19-affected general election.

Similar to 2016, Green won three of the four divisions – Brompton, Pedro Plains and Mountainside. The Black River division remained with the PNP.

JLP dropped 200 votes

In the February 2024 local government elections, the opposition party flipped the Brompton division, picking up 400 additional votes to do so, while the JLP dropped 200.

Green said one of the challenges to incumbency is that constituents, “quite reasonably”, would want all their issues resolved.

He said his job is to consistently communicate to them the work that is taking place behind the scenes on their behalf.

“ … Having not seen the pipelines being laid or having not gotten the water as yet, people can give up hope, but again, we continue to communicate and to use the things that they have seen. So, while, for example, we haven’t seen the water in Flagaman, we’ve seen expansion in Hounslow, expansions in Short Hill. We’ve seen four water trucks being purchased for the NIC (National Irrigation Commission) to provide greater trucking of water,” said Green.

“So I think part of the campaign will clearly be to reassure those people that it makes sense to stick with the Labour Party even though this specific matter has not yet been dealt with because we have a track record that the matters will be dealt with once we get sufficient time,” he said.

He said in every division, his team can point to the rehabilitation of roads, making access for farmers easier, adding that additional roads have been earmarked for repairs.

He said in some terms, prior to his time at the wicket, little work was done. With two terms under his belt, he said additional time is needed to get more projects done, and make up for time wasted.

“What we have to do is reassure constituents that the work has been done, the work is being done, and that we’re best placed to continue the work and get it done,” said Green.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com